China Fund Request for Graduate Study Scholarships
Resolution text
Resolved, that the Executive Council of The Episcopal Church, meeting in San Juan, Puerto Rico, April 20-23, 2022, that the Executive Council wishes to enable the expansion of ministries to people of Chinese descent; and be it further
Resolved, that because certain board directed trust funds have been restricted for ministry to Chinese of the Dispersion (post-Communist takeover); it is hereby
Resolved, that the Executive Council directs the Treasurer to grant $40,000 to be made available in 2022 and 2023 to partner with the Foundation for Theological Education South East Asia, China Christian Council, and World Council of Churches to provide graduate study scholarships to four doctoral candidates.
Explanation
This grant request from the Foundation for Theological Education in South East Asia (FTESEA), comes at the urging of Nanjing Theological University Seminary (NJUTS) and China Christian Council (CCC), to reach out to mainline denominational partners for ecumenical grant assistance. It is supported by the Rev. Cn. Bruce W. Woodcock, Episcopal Church partnership officer for Asia and the Pacific. Scholarship support from the China Fund will assist in faculty development for NJUTS as an incubator for ministry among and for persons of Chinese ancestry in China.
The proposed China Fund grant of $40,000, to be awarded during 2022 and 2023, is specifically requested for scholarship assistance. The Episcopal Church contribution of $5,000 per student per annum will become part of approximately $80,000 in ecumenical support provided for each student, including Ms. Lu Yanan at the Graduate Theological Union, Mr. Liu Wei at Union Theological Seminary, and two candidates at WCC Ecumenical Institute in Bossey, Switzerland.
China Trust funds restricted for Chinese of the Dispersion will provide an estimated $258,859.36 annual dividend in 2022 as follows: Evangelism at 22%, Education and Training at 69%, and Medical at 9%. This grant will provide $20,000 within the Education and Training component in each of 2022 and 2023, for which adequate funding is available from the 2022 dividends.